A fake cheque scam is a fraud in which a person pays you with a cheque that is forged, altered or taken from a stolen cheque book. The fraudster then persuades you to send part of the money back, or to hand over goods, before the cheque fails.
The cheque itself is only the bait. Your real loss is the money or goods you send while you still believe the payment is genuine. A fake cheque scam targets sellers, landlords, job seekers and people told they have won a prize. Each of these people expects money from a stranger, so an extra payment feels normal. Freelancers and small shop owners who accept cheques from new clients face the same risk.
The paper can look perfect. Fraudsters use real cheque leaves from stolen cheque books, so print quality alone proves nothing. Judge the request that comes with the cheque, not the paper.
How does a fake cheque scam work?
A fake cheque scam works by giving you a reason to send money before the cheque is paid. The fraudster pays more than agreed, or adds a fee you must pay first. The fraudster then pushes you to act within hours, before anyone can check the cheque.
Example: you sell a used phone for Rs. 20,000. The buyer sends a cheque for Rs. 25,000. The buyer asks you to return Rs. 5,000 by unified payments interface (UPI) the same day. If the cheque fails, you lose Rs. 5,000 and the phone. This is how a fake cheque scam turns a sale into a loss.
The same trick comes in four cover stories. The table below shows what you receive in each fake cheque scam and what the fraudster asks for.
| Cover story | What you receive | What the fraudster asks for |
|---|
| Online sale | A cheque for more than your asking price | A refund of the extra by bank transfer |
| Prize or lottery | A cheque for part of a prize you never entered | A fee or tax before the rest arrives |
| Job offer | A cheque as advance salary or equipment money | A payment to a supplier the fraudster names |
| Rent advance | A cheque for more than the agreed deposit | A refund of the extra before moving in |
What are the warning signs of a fake cheque scam?
The clearest warning sign of a fake cheque scam is a request to send money back after you receive a cheque. Any one of the six signs below points to a possible fake cheque scam.
- Overpayment: the cheque exceeds the agreed amount, and the sender wants the difference back.
- Time pressure: the sender wants payment within hours, before the cheque clears.
- A third person to pay: you must pay a supplier, agent or tax office the sender names.
- Unexpected money: the cheque is for a prize, inheritance or job you never sought.
- A sender you cannot meet: the sender avoids calls and meetings, using only chat or email.
- Odd cheque details: the payee name is misspelt, words and figures differ, or the print looks overwritten.
One sign is enough to pause a fake cheque scam before money leaves your account. Ask your bank whether the issuing bank has paid the cheque, and send nothing until it has.
